PARENT SESSION

6C - LCA and Economics: Input/Output Analysis
Hall 2
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Tuesday, 29 April 2003
Chair: Huppes, G.¹, ¹
Co-chair: Norris, G.², ²

(TU2/10) One year of experience in the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative.

Udo de Haes, Helias¹, Norris, Greg², Jolliet, Olivier ^{3, 5}, Saur, Konrad⁴, Sonneman, Guido⁵, ¹ Centre of Environmental Science, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands, The Netherlands² Sylvatica and Harvard University, Harvard, USA, USA³ EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland, Switzerland⁵ UNEP, Paris, France, France⁴ Five Winds International, Donzdorf, Germany, Germany

ABSTRACT- The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative was launched in Prague, April 29, 2002. This initiative is the combined responsibility of UNEP-DTIE in Paris and SETAC. The general aim of the initiative is to bring LCA and life cycle thinking into practice. Three programs have been established: (1): application of and education on LCA and life cycle thinking (LCM program); (2): development and enhancement of sound LCI data and methods (LCI program); (3): development and enhancement of sound LCIA data and methods (LCIA program). For these programs definition studies have been performed, the results of which will be presented in separate papers. In this paper overall results will be presented of the first year of the initiative. Firstly, an overview will be given of the different activities organised in the first year. Secondly, the results will be discussed of the user needs survey performed under different stakeholders around the world. Thirdly, an overall work program will be presented. This includes the implementation of cases together with industry. The following cases are in development: * together with the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM, London), on LCI allocation methods, the use of ERA information in LCIA modelling of metals, and possibly the specification of sustainable mining practice as part of LCM * together with the Alliance for beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE, Brussels), on the relationship between EMAS and EPDs as part of LCM * together with Proctor and Gamble (P&G, Brussels), on LCIA simplification in order to include more substances, based on the OMNIITOX project. Moreover, some general thoughts will be presented about the coming organisation of the work process, taking into account the aim of global participation and focus on well defined deliverables.

Key words: Life Cycle Management, toolbox , UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative